


Netflix and Chill

by Katzedecimal



Series: Frenemy Mine [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Deaf Character, Developing Friendships, Gen, Season 2, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-15
Updated: 2015-11-15
Packaged: 2018-05-01 16:06:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5212172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katzedecimal/pseuds/Katzedecimal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After closing the singularity, the Flash needs a place to gather his thoughts.  A Rogue's safehouse probably wasn't the best choice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Netflix and Chill

_Run away, run away from the pain_

The lyrics echoed in Barry's mind. He knew that's exactly what he was doing but he knew he wasn't stopping. Not yet. Not while the hurt was too intense. 

Eventually hunger did force him to stop running but he couldn't face anyone - not Cisco, not Joe, not... not Caitlin. Not Caitlin. Oh God, how would he face Caitlin?? He found an abandoned building and snuck inside. It showed signs of habitation but he put it down to homeless people, squatters. No matter - he wasn't out to bother them, just to find somewhere to sit for a while and deal with Ronnie's death. 

_Oh God, RONNIE._ His breath, hard from running, hitched into dry sobs as the magnitude of what had happened hit him. The black hole was closed and... and Ronnie was dead. 

Dead. Ronnie was dead. _...again, no shut up. Oh God, poor Caitlin, how am I going to face her again?_ He pulled off his mask and scrubbed his eyes with his hands then tried to find a tissue, toilet paper, napkin, anything that might soak up the tears. He didn't notice the silhouette silently approaching from behind. 

"Well, well, well," a voice drawled and Barry nearly jumped out of his skin. "Of all the safehouses in Central City you could have stumbled into, you had to pick mine."

Barry spun around, speed-tugging his mask back into place, and stared. "Har-*" his voice squeaked and he cleared his throat to try again, "Hartley Rathaway, the Pied Piper." 

Rathaway smirked and nodded, then tipped his head, scrutinising the Flash. He appeared to be weighing his responses as he took in the tear tracks, blotchy pale skin, and skewed mask. "Nice job closing the singularity," he said at last. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Who died?"

Flash's jaw worked for a few moments and then he gave up, "Ronnie. Ronnie Raymond. He... To close the black hole, he had to..." 

Rathaway nodded and appeared to make a decision. He took out a packet of tissues and tossed them over, then went to the small fridge in the corner and withdrew some bottles then handed one to Flash, "You look like you could use a beer." 

"Yeah. Thanks," Barry sighed. He popped the cap and drained half of it. "I... 'll leave, I need to get food anyway, I'm starving..." Rathaway said nothing but put a couple of pizza-pops into a microwave. "...Why?" 

"You're not ready to go out. That's obvious," Rathaway said, "And your mask is crooked." The microwave dinged and he passed the plate over. 

Barry tugged his mask sheepishly. He stared at Hartley and bit open one of the pastries, blowing on it to cool the filling. "You knew," he blurted. Hartley lifted an inquiring eyebrow. "About Harrison Wells. That wasn't the secret you meant, about the particle accelerator. You knew he was the Reverse Flash." Rathaway nodded once. "How?"

"Well," Rathaway drawled, "When you collapse a glass roof onto a guy in a wheelchair and suddenly the wheelchair is there but the guy is standing in the doorway on the other side of the room, it tends to be a bit of a clue."

Flash nodded then frowned, "You could have killed him."

"I could have killed **you,** " Rathaway said lightly, "There's a big difference between **trying** to kill someone and trying to **kill** someone."

Flash started to shake his head but suddenly understood, "You suspected already."

"I did." 

Flash nodded, finishing the last pizza-pop. "He wasn't the real Harrison Wells," he said, "He was an imposter from the future who killed the real Doctor Wells and stole his identity. He had speed, like I do. He was stranded here in the 21st Century after he killed my mother while trying to kill me and I still don't even know why." 

Hartley stared at him then pushed him down onto the battered old couch he used as a bed. "C'mere," he sighed, and wrapped his arms around Barry as he lost control of the tears, "Take the mask off, it'll get soaked and snotty and then it'll be all gross. I already know who you are."

Barry wasn't sure how long he was there, sobbing on the Pied Piper's shoulder while the villain rocked him and hummed softly. And that was just odd. The whole situation was odd. "You know who I am? How?"

Hartley rolled his eyes, "You walked into my safehouse."

"There was nobody here, though. I checked."

"That you noticed," Hartley smirked, "It just so happens I was testing an invention when you waltzed in. It appears to have worked, so thanks for that."

"Any time... I guess. So, you've invented, what, Harry Potter's invisibility cloak?"

"Not exactly," Hartley purred. He reached beside the couch, picked up a case, and opened it to reveal shining silver and gold.

"Is that a... flute?" Barry said doubtfully, pushing back his mask, "A flute on 'roids?"

"Why don't you get us another couple of beers," Hartley suggested as he assembled the instrument, which bristled with a lot more valves and levers than any concert flute.

Barry pushed back his mask and went to the fridge, "Do you mind if I have another pizza-pop? I can pay you back..." He looked up and frowned, "Hartley?" He looked around but the room was empty, "Where'd you go? Hartley?"

And jumped out of his skin when the Pied Piper appeared right next to him, lowering the flute from his grinning mouth. "Go ahead. Actually, if you feel up to doing a dash'n'dine, I can order us a pizza for take-out."

Barry stared from the couch to where Rathaway stood beside him at the fridge. "Yeah, actually, that'd be great... How'd you do that? Did you.. teleport?"

"No, I walked."

"So it's some kind of invisibility field?"

"Not exactly, but close. Works though," Hartley beamed at his flute, "And if you don't notice it, neither will Harrison Wells."

Barry frowned, realising, "So... if you knew that Wells had speed, then... you were fighting me as.. practice for going after Wells?"

Hartley's face split into a wide grin, "Hmm, handsome **and** smart. Nice combination, that."

Barry let that pass, remembering that Hartley was gay and had flirted with him before. "God, I almost feel bad having to tell you this... Wells... doesn't exist anymore."

"He's dead?" Hartley's expression was difficult to interpret.

"Not exactly. Remember I said he was from the future? His ancestor was alive here. When he found out that Reverse Flash was his descendant, he... he shot himself... and... and erased..." 

"Hmm," Hartley said, torn between being nettled and feeling satisfied. Or relieved. He blew out a sigh, "Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey." 

"Oh God, you watch _Doctor Who_?"

Hartley rolled his eyes and gestured at himself, "I'm a geek? Of course I do." He sat down at his computer and opened a window, "What do you want on your pizza?"

"Oh, um, anything is fine. But no anchovies."

"Thirty minutes," Hartley said a few moments later, "Then we can Netflix and chill."

Barry paused. "Uh, does that mean...?"

Hartley snickered, "No. Not unless you want it to. But I doubt you're in the mood after what you've just been through."

"I'm really not," Barry sighed. 

* * * *

"Thanks for this," Barry said softly, halfway through the fifth episode of _Daredevil._ Getting the pizza had been amusing, since Barry was still wearing his Flash suit. Hartley had taken the opportunity to test his invisibility flute in public but the temperature had dropped enough that the pizza would be cold by the time they walked back. The obvious solution was for Hartley to carry the pizzas and Barry to carry Hartley piggy-back. _"You know, I had fantasies about riding the Flash but this really wasn't what I had in mind,"_ Hartley had grumbled, and Barry had laughed for the first time in days. 

"I like this show," Hartley said, "Even though Matt's blind, not deaf. But they really need to caption it. My algorithm can only do so much."

Barry blinked, abruptly reminded of what the particle accelerator explosion had done to Hartley. "You have implants now though, right?"

Hartley nodded once. "I can't wear them all the time. They give me headaches." 

Barry winced. "And without them..."

"There's only the constant scream of the tinnitus. It drowns out everything. I can't hear anything else."

Barry watched him, noticing now the circles under Hartley's eyes, the lines drawn in his face. "You can't sleep." Hartley shook his head. "What happens if your implants fail?"

"Then I'm screwed," Hartley said simply, "Unless I have a notepad, maybe."

"Oh. Bummer."

"Yeah."

Barry thought for a moment and took out his phone. A few minutes later he showed the screen to Hartley, "Um, what about this? I thought maybe we could learn it together?" Hartley stared at him. "I mean, anything could happen, right? You shouldn't be cut off, if it does."

Hartley stared at him, remembering what Cisco had done to him. Then he nodded slowly. "Yeah. Yeah, alright. I'd like that." He shut off the Netflix and opened a browser to the American Sign Language lessons site that Flash had found.


End file.
